The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-11-26
SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY.


In Russia 255,O0O persons are en-
gagged in the tobacco industry.
The petroleum refiners of the
United States consume about nine mill
lion pounds of sulphuric acid per
month.
The art of paper making has
reached point where a growing tree
may be cut down, made into paper, and
turned out as newspaper, all within
thirty-six hours.
The curious fact that acute rheu-
matism is less prevalent in rainy
weather than in dry weather, has been
observed by several European physi-
clans who make specially of treating
rheumatic disease.
DR.. Murray, of the Royal Society
Of Edinburgh, estimates the mean
height of the land of the globe to be
between 1000 and 2,10O feet, the latter
limit being probably the more nearly
correct Humboldt's estimate of the
mean height of the continents was
1,OOU Ic6l.
"A new species of water-plant, which
grows on the back of the living water
tortoise, has been described by Mr.. NJ.
G. Potter, of the Linnean Society of
London. 1.-THE plant enters the cracks
of the tortoise shell, penetrating per-
pendicularly and horizo ntally to the
plates, imbibes the water from outside,
but does not derive nourishment from
the animal juices. IN Y. Ledger.
A new British industry is the prep
ayation of basic Stag for agricultural
manure. The material is pulverized
by machinery to such an extent that
the finished product will pass through
sieve of 10000 holes to the square
inch. The fertilizing properties of this
Stag are due to the large proportion of
iron and phosphoric acid which it con-
tains.
The subject of premature badness
is one in which vast number of per-
sons take direct and lively interest.
According to the Lancet, there is little
doubt that such badness is increasing,
and it is difficult to give any satisfac-
tory scientific explanation of the fact.
That journal does not attribute much
Importance to the suggestion that tight
hats are injurious, but it declares that
harm may be done in time by washing
the head every morning, and neglect
ing to replace the oily material thus re-
moved.-M Y Ledger.
Mrs. Croly, better known as
"Jennie June" is president of the
Women's Endowment Cattle Company,
lately Incorporated under the laws of
New Jersey. The capital stock is.
$1,000, 900, divided into 5000 shares of
$500 each. Every share represents a
certain number of cattle, which are to
be kept breeding for six years, and y
proportonate interest in ranch prop
critics. The company controls about
100000 acres of pasture land in New
Mexico, and has 5000 head of cattle on
its ranch. 1t is designed as an endow-
meat investment for children. -PU6iic
Opinion.
-1he discovery OF new gas Is
rare and important event to chem
lists. Such discovery has been an
nounced in Germany by DR.. Theodore
Curtius, who has succeeded in prepar-
ing the long-sought hydride of nitro
gen, amidogen, diamide or hydrazine.
as it is variously called. This remark
able body, which has hitherto baffled
all attempts at isolation, is now shown
to be gas, perfectly stable up to very
high temperature, of a peculiar odor,
differing from that Of ammonia, exceed
ingly soluble in water, and of basic
properties In composition it is nearly
identicaI with ammonia, both being
compounds of nitrogen and hydrogen.
-Pubtic Opinion.